St David's City of Newport Half Marathon

We are really excited about this new city marathon - now that the beautiful River front path is finished, the route is mostly off road. In just four miles you will see the SDR bridge, which won awards for design, the Pedestrian Bridge, a stunning metal design spanning the river and providing access to the Newport Dragons' ground at Rodney parade. You even pass the ruins of Newport Castle. Leaving Newport, the route carries on towards the Roman Town of Caerleon, where you turn around and come back along the same pathway. Timed specifically to provide London Marathon runners with a testing 13 mile training run. It's going to be a great event..

Comments

  • Hi - I'm keen on tunning this next year but after looking on the St David's website am unsure if raising money is compulsory for entry, can you clarify what the situation in on this? Many thanks....

  • Newport is within easy driving distance of millions of people.  The same is certainly not true of the city of St. David's!

    For this event, the name St. David's hits you in the face....  and outside of Gwent, who would think that "St David's" referred to a charity, rather than the much much better known city?

    Of course most potential runners will know, or presume, that the race is in Newport, Gwent...  but I think that quite a lot of people who are quickly scanning down lists of races, will skip past "St David's City of Newport Half-Marathon"  - But might have stopped to look if it was called "Newport Half-marathon - in aid of St. David's Hospices"

  • I'm aware it's in Newport (or at least I hope it is) and the route sounds like it's pretty flat so could be PB potential (if I put the training in). I'm just not sure about the charity aspect though. Think I may struggle to get sponsorship when I've already gone cap in hand in recent years for London marathon and people know I run half marathons regular anyway so won't see this as much of a challenge for me so probably won't want to sponsor...

  • Sounds good, but it has a lot of competition that day with Llanelli Half Maraton, Bath Half Marathon and 'St Davids Day' 5 and 10K's in Cardiff. I'm already signed up to Llanelli as are quite a few of my club mates.

  • You're right about the competition.  But I guess that it still has some pull as a spring HM for those with a PB in mind.  I can't believe that Bath isn't hilly (though I really don't know)...  and the Cardiff 5K and 10K are just that... 5K & 10K !

    Llanelli sounds interesting,,,  but I might well do this Newport one. 

  • Is the new Llanelli route out yet? I did it a few years back on the coastal path, and even thought I did my 1:30 PB there I found it a bit lonely out there and also not much fun out and back on the same path and the torture of passing the finish line at around 7 miles was psychological warfare....

  • No course map as yet for Llanelli although the one on March 3rd is starting from Parc Y Scarlets rugby stadium. They are also doing a half marathon on the day of the Great Welsh Marathon so that one will be the normal coastal path route.

    Will definitely consider Newport if the first year goes well and it continues in future years.

  • Hi

    I have just read the link of the charities website and it states the following

    We have not specified a minimum amount of sponsorship to raise, but we ask that you endeavour to raise as much as you can – every penny really does count.

    Looks like it could be a good HM but no medal!

  • Hi, just to clarify, it is not compulsory to raise sponsorship for St Davids Hospice Care, or any charity. Tenovus are promoting the event on their site as a fundraiser for them too, but the choice is yours.

    Yes, it's a charity event, but well sponsored, so you may not get a medal, but you will get a nice technical t shirt. Darren Campbell's company PAS are also providing goody bags and prize winners funds.

    Unlike some events, there are no Event Organisers fees to cover, so all proceeds will go to help terminally ill people throughout s e Wales.

    It is a shame about the dates, but the calendar is pretty full, not just with the races, but the rugby too.

    The route uses pathways that have only recently been built, so it will be something a little different. It is hoped that the event will grow to replicate the success of Cardiff over the next 10 years.
  • Ps, there was another event called Newport marathon and Newport half marathon last year that wasn't a great success, and the domain names for newport half belong to newport in america, & Newport City Council actually stipulated that they wanted it called City of Newport.
  • Would like to do this, for me Cardiff has become too big an event to seriously go for a PB, would love to break 2 hrs just once.

  • didn't realise this is the same day as the llanelli half.shame............but should hopefully be a great race......

  • Shame, I've signed up for Bath same day. Probably would have given this a go as Bristol based and 30 minutes away and sounds like a nice route.



    By the way for those who don't know Bath is a flat two lapper. Very very busy as well!
  • Great PB potential I think - the numbers are limited to 1,000 to make sure that there are no bottlenecks along the course. plus - as it's out and back, everyone supports each other. I did the Pontypridd reverse 10, and seeing the top runners on their way back as I was still headed out to halfway spurred me on.. and then I cheered for those I met on my way back. 

  • Newport i'll be heading nice tech t-shirt and alot cheaper than llanelli half last time i run llanelli only a medal looked cheap and nasty....image

  • Have stuck with Llanelli Half and entered on 4th March this year. It's a great and proven value for money event ...  fantastic memntos - last year, a hat, and a brilliant golden shoe and the year before a crystal runnners cube with a tech tee-shirt. Have run it every year and it just gets better and better. And if that is not good enough, they have a brand new course for 2013 that starts and finishes at the new Scarlets stadium.

    I may try the Newport half if they stop trying to compete by not "crazily" putting it on the same day as an already established "Welsh" event that also raises the awareness and funds for many worthwhile causes. Where is the common sense in this? Or is it a case of a charities greed again trying to cash in on atletics event regardless of all others?

  • There's no "Charity greed trying to cash in on athletics events" Luke -it's simply that the race calendar is pretty full nearly every weekend- it's not easy trying to fit in a new event around everything that is going on, including the rugby at that time of year. Llanelli is always going to appeal to those who love that area. The City of Newport Half is also only open to 1,000 entrants, so not really serious competition to the mass events.

    Also - Bath is so expensive now, the Newport one may appeal to those who don't want to pay that sort of money. 

  • why is the clash with the rugvby a problem...... out of interest.i would have thought clashing with our halves more important........

    but I will try  and do this one year if its successful........I wish it luck.and hopefully it will not get linked to the failed newport marathon

  • I'm signing up for this one, in preparation for the Stratford upon Avon Marathon in April.  Newport is really easy to get to on the M4.  Desperate to break 2 hrs for a half, and this sounds like good PB potential and a fabulous route.  Can't wait. image

  • Done Llanelli halves and June 10ks a few times, same date will save me 60 odd miles of driving plus route almost passing my house which is a first!
  • Please could someone tell me what is the surface of the ''off road" "riverside path"  ? Is it tarmac or gravel ?

  • it is mostly tarmac or pavement.

  • Hi,

    Just a quick note to let everyone know that we are now virtually at our limit of 1,000 runners. Less than 10 entries left. Thanks to everyone for their interest and support for this new event.

  • Hi,

    Can you let me know if you get any cancelations please, as I left it to late to enter.

  • certainly. will note your setails.

     

  • Hi,

     

    Anyone know about parking on the day? Can you park at the stadium? Will there be a charge?

    Thanks

  • Hi Fiona, ok for parking - if the stadium should fill up we can allocate parking nearby. With the Tennis and Swimming Centre, the Velodrome and the Stadium, there is ample parking. Cheers,,

  • Superb job of organisation today. One of the best organised events I have run. From starting pens organisation, distance marking, marshalling, course marking, to finish funnel. Really slick.
  • I miised it due to illness but my husband thought it was very well organised.....

  • First class from start to finish, big pat on the back to all who took part in organising it, well done.

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